Top Nigerian newspaper headlines and breaking news in Nigeria today, Sunday, April 2, 2023.
NBC Fines Channels TV N5m Over Datti Baba-Ahmed Interview
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has slammed a fine of N5 million on Channels TV for breaking the broadcasting law in a programme with Dr Datti Baba-Ahmed, Labour Party Vice Presidential candidate.
This is contained in a letter addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of the television station and dated March 27.
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The letter was exclusively obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
The letter, with the title: “Broadcast of an Inciting Interview, A Sanction”, was signed by Balarabe Ilelah, the commission’s Director-General.
It read in part:” The NBC monitored the broadcast of a live interview of the running mate of the Labour Party Vice presidential candidate, Dr Datti Baba-Ahmed, by the anchor of Politics Today, Seun Okibaloye, on Wednesday, March 22.
“Dr Baba-Ahmed said it will be unconstitutional to swear in an elected president on May 29, 2023, because of election irregularities,” Ilelah said in the letter.
He noted that the broadcast was volatile and capable of inciting public disorder and therefore violated some sections of the broadcasting code.
This, according to him, includes the section that said no broadcast shall encourage, or incite, be repugnant to public feelings or contain offensive reference to any person or organisation, alive or dead or generally be disrespectful to human dignity.
Ilelah added that according to the broadcasting code, broadcasters shall ensure that no programme contained anything which amounted to subversion of constituted authority.
He recalled that the NBC had engaged Channels Television severally to consider public interest before any programme is broadcast.
This, he said, was to ensure that the country was not plunged into anarchy.
“Consequently, on the following infractions, Channels Television is hereby sanctioned and shall pay a penalty of N5,000,000 (five million naira) only in the first instance,” he said.
He added that any further infraction by the television station would attract higher sanctions.
“You are advised to pay within two weeks from the day of receipt of this letter or the penalty will be graduated,” the NBC Director-General said.
Labour Party National Chairman, Julius Abure Suspended
The National chairman of Labour Party, Julius Abure has been suspended by the Executive Council members in Ward 3, Arue in Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State.
Abure was suspended Abure over alleged forgery and anti-party activities by the ward leadership.
In a press conference on Friday, the Ward Chairman, Martins Osigbemhe, alleged that Abure connived with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to truncate the chances of the party in the February 25 presidential poll.
Osigbemhe stressed that Abure was suspended by the party over pending the outcome of several petitions and cases against him in courts.
He said;
“We, the Labour Party Ward Executive Council in Ward 03-Arue, in Esan North East Local Government Area O4 of Edo State (12), do hereby suspend Barr Abure Julius Odianosen indefinitely as the National Chairman of the Labour.”
Abure’s suspension illegal – NWC
Meanwhile, the National Working Committee of the Labour Party has described the suspension of its National Chairman as illegal.
In a follow up statement on Friday by its National Secretary, Mallam Farouk Umar, the LP said the reported suspension is of no consequence, adding that only a national convention can make that decision.
Umar further described the self-acclaimed leaders of the ward as impostors who lacked the powers to suspend Abure.
The statement reads:
“The attention of the Leadership of the Labour Party was called to the Press Conference held today Friday, 31st March 2023 by some unknown faces assembled in one room in Abuja wherein they pronounced a suspension on our National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure.
“They also made some spurious allegations against him which are untrue and concocted by the sponsors of the Press Conference. We however deemed it fit to make some responses. The Young men we saw in that visuals are apparently not anybody from Labour Party in Edo state as claimed.
“The executives of the party in the state, Local Government and my ward are well known to the party. None of them was at the press conference.
“A party from the blues competing with the top two political parties and in the process, winning eight Senate and 34 House of Representatives as well as numerous House of Assembly seats. We also won a governorship seat while we are in court to retrieve other mandates including the presidency.”
“We make bold to say that they are people assembled and rented from some Abuja slums and paid to read a prepared speech given to them.
“Again, our Party Constitution is clear on who can suspend and who cannot suspend the National Chairman. They should go and read the party constitution. Only the National Convention can suspend the National Chairman of the Labour Party. It also must be through such a convention called for the purpose of the suspension of the National Chairman.
“We think that the sudden suspension was an afterthought of some opposition parties purely to distract the leadership of the Labour Party at this time. There is no reasonable party member now who will be thinking of such a thing when we are pursuing our presidential mandate in the court and all other mandates including the governorship, Senate and House of Representatives that were brazenly stolen.
“Who will be contemplating the suspension of any national party official now? It is on record that for the first time in the party’s history, the Abure-led leadership has succeeded in changing the country’s political narratives.”
2023 Elections: Okowa Fires 6 Aides For Supporting Peter Obi
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has fired six of his political aides.
The vice presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 25 presidential election, terminated the appointments of the aides after they allegedly supported his opponent, Labour Party’s Peter Obi in the election.
It was also believed that the affected aides worked for the state governorship candidate and the party’s “fierce opponent”, Ovie Omo-Agege of the All Progressive Congress (APC) after being promised appointments if he wins.
The aides, who were relieved of their appointments were; Onwuka London (SSA Political), Victor Ossai (SA Political), Iyasele Tunji (SSA Political), Ramon Ossai (SA Political), Lawrence Odu (SA Political) and Tobechukwu Richard Ukwamedua (SSA Political).
This was contained in a letter signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Patrick Ukah.
Ukah said they were relieved of their appointments for no longer sharing in the philosophy and vision of the outgoing administration.
The letter dated March 27, 2023, stated that the termination of their appointments was to take effect from April 1, 2023.
A source from PDP said:
“As if that was not enough, they brought that same attitude to bear during the governorship election thinking that our party will not bounce back.
“Working for APC was even more embarrassing to us than working for Peter Obi and the Labour Party. So it was simply unpardonable.
“As such, it was only proper and politically expedient to relieve them of their appointments to avoid further embarrassment to the party. “
Eze Ndigbo: Police Arrest Man Who Threatened to Invite IPOB to Lagos
The Eze Ndigbo of Ajao Estate in Lagos State, Fredrick Nwajagu, has been arrested for threatening to invite the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to Lagos.
Daily Report Nigeria reports that Nwajagu had threatened to invite members of the outlawed group to provide security for Igbos and their properties in Lagos.
In a viral video on Friday, Eze Ndigbo said;
“IPOB, we will invite them. They have no job. All of the IPOB will protect all of our shops. And we have to pay them. We have to mobilise for that. We have to do that. We must have our security so that they will stop attacking us at midnight, in the morning, and in the afternoon.
“When they discover that we have our security before they will come, they will take caution. I am not saying a single word to be hidden. I am not hiding my words, let my words go viral. Igbo must get their right and get a stand in Lagos State,” he added.
However, a police source confirmed on Saturday that the Igbo leader was arrested in the early hours of the day following a joint operation by policemen and operatives of the Department of State Services.
“A team of police and DSS went to his palace but he had already fled. He was later traced to a hotel in Ejigbo where he was arrested,” the source said.
Governors Demand Arrest of Interim Government Plotters
Governors under the All Progressives Congress (APC), have demanded for the arrest of elements plotting the erection of an interim government in the country.
The Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) also called for the prosecution of those involved in the interim government plot.
The governors described the “evil plan” as unfortunate, condemnable and treasonable, Arise TV reported.
The PGF in a statement on Friday by its Chairman and Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, said it was ironic that after the Presidential, National Assembly, Gubernatorial and State Assembly elections, where all parties recorded successes and disappointments in different constituencies, “some self-serving individuals are unfortunately seeking to sabotage the country’s democratic progress.”
It said; “The PGF notes the press statement issued by the Department of Security Service on the unfortunate, condemnable and treasonable conduct of some undemocratic elements who are agitating for an interim government. We condemn such agitation.
“It is commendable that the Department of Security Service exposed the plot and we call upon them to arrest and prosecute anyone involved.”
The PGF noted that after a democratic contest, “parties are free to exercise the legal right of going to court.”
It stressed that indeed, it was widely reported that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) had chosen to go to the Presidential Election Tribunal to challenge the outcome of the presidential election, which was won by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of APC.
“In all the 36 states of the federation, tribunals have also been established to provide opportunity to those who participated in the various elections but otherwise feeling dissatisfied, to challenge the results.
“We urge all Nigerians to remain vigilant and resist any undemocratic conduct that is capable of undermining our democracy. Our Country has done well in promoting democracy both in Nigeria and elsewhere in the African continent, and it is sad that some unpatriotic elements are nursing the evil plot for interim government, which will amount to subverting our national democratic progress.”
The forum also commended the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, who is also the Chairman of the Presidential Transitional Council for issuing a statement restating the federal government’s commitment towards a successful inauguration of a new President on May 29th, 2023.
It, therefore, called on all citizens to support Nigeria’s democratic development, which “the campaign for interim government is meant to truncate.”
The call is coming after the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) met on Thursday night in Abuja and came up with a resolve to continue defending Nigeria’s democracy.
In a communique signed by Forum Chairman/governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, the NGF charged the DSS to stop overheating the polity with its statement with the claim that some certain politicians are planning an interim government against the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
It read; “Governors condemned, in the strongest terms, any unconstitutional means of regime change and pledged their commitment to continue to defend Nigeria’s democracy as elected leaders.
“In addition, the Forum believes that issuing statements without arrests is akin to heating up the polity and causing unwarranted tension in the country. It called on the DSS to do its job by immediately arresting and prosecuting all those involved in the plot as a matter of urgency,” the communiqué of the meeting stated.
APC Suspends NDDC Chairman, Laurreta Onochie
Lauretta Onochie, the Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), has been suspended by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State.
Onochie was suspended by executives of the party in Onicha-Olona, Ward 4 in Aniocha North following a review on her conduct in the just concluded general elections.
The NDDC chairman was subsequently suspended for allegedly campaigning for candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
The former aide to President Muhammadu Buhari was also accused of instructing allies and supporters to work for the PDP, thereby making the ruling party to lose the election in her polling unit.
In the letter dated March 20, 2023, the executives passed a vote of no confidence on Onochie as well as her suspension.
The letter signed by all Executive members of the ward led by its Chairman, Ogbolu Peter and addressed to the Delta State APC Chairman, reads;
“We, the under listed are the ward executive members of the All Progressives Congress in Oracha Olona ward 4, Aniocha LG. A., Delta State
“We have painstakingly reviewed the conduct of the just concluded general elections at all levels and have noted, with dismay, that Lorreta Onochie, who is one of the leaders of our great party, worked against the success of the party in Onicha Olons Ward 4, and beyond.
“Information available to us show very clearly that she was openly campaigning for candidates of opposition parties, especially the People’s Democratic Party, in the run up to the Presidential and National Assembly, as well as the Governorship and State House of Assembly Election.
“It was also observed that all her allies and supporters were working for the PDP in the state. The evidence of this could be seen in the fact that the party lost in her polling unit (unit 8, ward 4) in the Presidential, Senatorial, House of Representatives, Governorship and State Assembly Elections
“We also noted that she has failed to fulfill her financial obligations to the party and has never attended any ward & LGA meetings or other party engagements.”
Nurse Dies Trying to Perform Liposuction
A Mexican nurse has died after attempting to perform a liposuction procedure on herself at a south-central facility in Mexico called Clinica Amper.
The woman, identified only as Carina, was found unconscious in a doctor’s office after allegedly attempting liposuction on her stomach, a process that removes excess fat from the midsection
According to Carina’s employer and owner of the clinic, Dr. Rolando Samper Mendoza, the victim performed the surgery ‘without his authorization and permission’ in his absence.
“One of my nurses named Carina … decided on her own to perform abdominal liposuction with local anesthetic,” Mendoza said while expressing remorse over the incident.
“The result of this incomprehensible action was that she died as a result of the massive absorption of anesthetic that she administered herself.”
A co-worker was said to have alerted paramedics, who tried to revive Carina, however, she died when they got to the clinic, ‘Clinica Amper’, which is located in south-central Mexico.
Mexico has long been a country where people flock to undergo various cosmetic surgeries due to lower costs associated with procedures.
Man Evacuated From Lagos-bound Flight for Opposing Tinubu’s Inauguration
There was chaos inside an Abuja to Lagos flight on Friday, after a man was forcefully evacuated from the aircraft for allegedly saying that the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, must not be sworn in as President.
According to reports, the man stood in the middle of the plane and raised his voice to say that Tinubu must never be sworn in, adding that there would be “war” if that happened.
It was said that the crew on the plane immediately alerted the airport security authorities who evacuated him after holding up the aircraft for more than an hour.
A video making the rounds on social media shows the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria security men carrying the man off the plane, as he kept shouting, “Obidients, you’re here
they are doing this to me. Obidients you’re here, I am naked. Obidients you’re here, I am going naked.”
Daily Report Nigeria reported earlier that the Department of State Services (DSS) has identified a number of unnamed Nigerian plotting to implement an interim government in the country.
The DSS described the alleged plot as an aberration, saying the plan would plunge Nigeria into an avoidable crisis.
